Contributory Parent (Temporary) Visa SC 173
The Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa allows Australian citizens or permanent residents to bring their parents into Australia. The visa allows a maximum stay of 02 years, after which you can apply for the corresponding SC 143 Contributory Parent Visa. The sponsor must agree to provide support, housing and financial help for the Applicants who are being sponsored on this visa. You can sponsor more than one parent on this visa. You can be in or outside Australia to apply for this visa.
With years of experience in handling parent visas, we at MJ Legal will ensure that you make the best investment to bring your parents to Australia.

Eligibility requirements for the sponsor
To sponsor an applicant, the sponsor must:
- Be the child of the parent visa applicant.
- Be at least 18 years of age.
- Be an Australian permanent resident or a citizen.
- Be settled and usually resident in Australia.
Eligibility requirements for the applicant
To be sponsored for the visa, applicant must:
- Not have applied for or hold a SC 870 visa.
- Meet the balance of family test.
- Meet the health requirements.
- Meet the character requirements.
- Have assurances of support.
We will help you reunite with your parents in Australia
Let us assist you with your 173 visa application
Meeting the balance of family test for a Contributory Parent (Temporary) Visa
The balance of family test is designed to determine whether the majority of a Applicant's children live in Australia, reflecting the parent's ties to the country.
To pass the Balance of Family test, you must have:
- More eligible children living in Australia than in any other country, or
- At least half of your children are 'eligible children' living permanently in Australia.
An 'eligible child' is defined as one who is an Australian citizen, a permanent resident residing in Australia, or a New Zealand citizen who usually lives in Australia. Importantly, children who are on temporary visas in Australia do not qualify as 'eligible' for this test.
Proceeding to a Contributory Parent Visa after your Contributory Parent (Temporary) Visa
You can apply for the SC 173 and SC 143 visa as a two-step process. Given that the visa costs are quite higher compared to other parent visa, proceeding from a SC 173 to a SC 143 allows you to spread the costs of the visas over a few years.
SC 143 is a permanent visa which allows you to stay in Australia indefinitely. You can then apply for Australian citizenship if you meet the requirements.
Your migration process
We will guide you on every step of the way
Step 01
Consultation
During the consultation, we will assess the eligibility of both parents and the child who will be sponsoring the parents for the 173 visa. we will review your circumstances, and advise on the most suitable pathway for your parents.
Step 02
Making your application
We will liaise with you to arrange all documents required from the Sponsor and the Applicant. We ensure that all required documents are provided at the time of application for both the sponsorship and the visa applications
Step 03
Permanent Visa grant
Upon the lodgement of your visa, we will continue to follow up with your application and respond to any additional document requests from the Department until a decision is made on your visa.
Parent Visa processing times
Due to the higher demand, for parent visas the Department does not publish standard processing times. At the time an application is submitted for consideration, the application will be placed on a queue for assessment.
Consideration of parent visas generally happens in two stages after submission.
- Checking eligibility and either adding the application to the queue or refusing it.
- Continued assessment of the application when a place becomes available on the queue and then deciding the application.
Generally, Applicant will be informed when a place is assigned to them in the parent visa application queue.
Secure a pathway to permanent residency for your parents and start your 173 visa application with confidence
FAQ
Find answers to commonly asked questions
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